used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
archedadjectiveUS /ɑːrtʃt/
constructed with or in the form of an arch or arches
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Now it was cobbled and clean as a kitchen floor.
barnsnounUS /bɑːrnz/
plural of “barn” — an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
casualadjectiveUS /ˈkæʒəwəl/
marked by blithe unconcern
From this reading And the most casual observer could not have mistaken the nature of the place.
cattle-sheds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
chestnutadjectiveUS /ˈtʃesnʌt/
(of hair or feathers) of a golden brown to reddish brown color
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading Now it was cobbled and clean as a kitchen floor.
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
cobbledverbUS /ˈkɑːbəld/
past form of “cobble” — pave with cobblestones
From this reading Now it was cobbled and clean as a kitchen floor.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading And the most casual observer could not have mistaken the nature of the place.
crib-biter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
dungnounUS /dʌŋ/
fecal matter of animals
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
fan-tails
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
flirtingnounUS /ˈflɜːrtɪŋ/
playful behavior intended to arouse sexual interest
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
flocknounUS /flɑːk/
a church congregation guided by a pastor
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Now it was cobbled and clean as a kitchen floor.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
foragingnounUS /ˈfɔːrɪdʒɪŋ/
the act of searching for food and provisions
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
fro
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And the most casual observer could not have mistaken the nature of the place.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now it was cobbled and clean as a kitchen floor.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading Now it was cobbled and clean as a kitchen floor.
litternounUS /ˈlɪtər/
the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
loose-boxes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
most important element
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
wrong in e.g. opinion or judgment
From this reading And the most casual observer could not have mistaken the nature of the place.
used to form the superlative
From this reading And the most casual observer could not have mistaken the nature of the place.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading And the most casual observer could not have mistaken the nature of the place.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And the most casual observer could not have mistaken the nature of the place.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now it was cobbled and clean as a kitchen floor.
observernounUS /əbˈzɜːrvər/
a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses
From this reading And the most casual observer could not have mistaken the nature of the place.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And the most casual observer could not have mistaken the nature of the place.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading And the most casual observer could not have mistaken the nature of the place.
Putnam's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
roomynounUS /ˈruːmi/
an associate who shares a room with you
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
strutted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
the upper part of anything
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
transformedadjectiveUS /trænˈsfɔːrmd/
given a completely different form or appearance
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Now it was cobbled and clean as a kitchen floor.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading All round it on three sides were old barns and cattle-sheds, transformed into rough but roomy loose-boxes.
at the time that
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
wind-sucking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For a clock stood above the main building; a chestnut crib-biter, looking out into the yard, had the top of his half door between his teeth and was wind-sucking with arched neck; while a flock of fan-tails strutted to and fro, flirting and foraging.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading Putnam's In the days when Putnam's had been a farm, the yard had always been deep in dung and litter.
